Mac Miller is a self-taught musician from Pittsburgh. Before realizing his true passion for music, he was involved in many high school sports. He released his first mixed tape when he was fifteen under the name EZ Mac. He continues to live and produce music in Pittsburgh today.

Christina Aguilera grew up in her grandmother’s home near Pittsburgh and spent her childhood competing in talent shows. She frequently sang the Star-Spangled Banner for Pittsburgh sporting events before beginning a television career at the age of thirteen.

Joan Jett was born Joan Marie Larkin in the suburbs of Philadelphia. She started playing guitar when she was fourteen and quit formal lessons because her teacher wanted her to play folk songs. She went on to become to famous punk rocker we’re all familiar with.

You probably know Henry Mancini for his most famous composition, The Pink Panther theme song. He grew up in West Aliquippa, PA, where his father worked in a steel mill. He began taking piccolo lessons when he was eight years old.

Pink is from Doylestown, a small town in Central Pennsylvania. Her father inspired her to become a musician with his guitar playing and singing. Pink joined her first band, Middleground, in high school.

Trent Reznor is famous not only for fronting the band Nine Inch Nails, but also for composing the scores to The Social Network, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and Gone Girl. He was born in Mercer, which is a small town in Western PA, and studied computer engineering at Allegheny College.

Taylor Swift grew up on a Christmas Tree farm in Wyomissing, PA, outside of Reading. As a young girl, she took horseback riding lessons and attended Bible school. She was always interested in music and participated in school plays, and eventually moved to Nashville at the age of fourteen to pursue a career in country music.

Wiz Khalifa’s parents were in the military, so they moved around a lot when he was a kid, but eventually settled down in Pittsburgh where the future rapper attended high school. You also may not know that Wiz Khalifa’s name is Cameron Jibril Thomaz.

Questlove, born Ahmir Khalib Thompson and also known as ?uestlove, is most famous for being drummer and co-frontman in The Roots. As well as a musician, he is a record producer and journalist. Born in Philadelphia, Questlove inherited musical talent and passion from his parents who were both in bands. The couple took their son on tour with them, and by the time he was seven he was drumming onstage during shows.

Chris Kirkpatrick, a founding member of NSYNC is from the Eastern PA suburb Clarion. Before he became a teenage heartthrob, he began his career as a member of a Doo Wop group called the Hollywood Hi-Tones.

Pennsylvania certainly has given birth to some great talent and fame. Who knows, maybe you’ll be the next pop star to come from our state.